


Till We Meet Again

by HiddenObscurial



Series: Grindeldore One Shots [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 1918 London, Before the Global Wizarding War, Conflicted Dumbledore, Kissing, M/M, Manipulative Grindelwald, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 09:07:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17546768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenObscurial/pseuds/HiddenObscurial
Summary: Albus had sworn to himself to never be fooled by the man called Gellert Grindelwald again. But what will happen when they meet unexpectedly in 1918?





	Till We Meet Again

**Author's Note:**

> Just another one-shot about Grindeldore, hope you guys like it!

**December, 1918**

Winter had come late that year. The trees lining the streets were still adorned with their red and orange leaves, which fluttered to the ground silently. 

The autumn air was still as Albus walked down the cobble-paved sidewalk, his hands in his pockets. Small traces of wreckage still littered the roads - a reminder of the Great War. Looking up, a crow flew overhead, its caw echoing through the silent street. 

Albus ducked into an alley and pulled his wand from his sleeve. He tapped the tip of his wand against the brick wall of the building, and the wall melted away to reveal a passageway, leading downwards. A voice echoed through the tunnel from somewhere deep under the city. 

Albus treaded carefully down the tunnel, casting Lumos to light up the passage as it got further away from the surface.

The tunnel emerged into a large, semicircular amphitheatre. A crowd, consisting of around a few hundred witches and wizards from around the world, stood on the steps before the stage. 

As Albus' eyes moved from the crowd to the stage, his breath hitched. 

In the center of it all, stood a wizard he had wished to never see again. 

Gellert Grindelwald. 

Gellert looked like he hadn't changed at all since that summer all those years ago. His hair was still the same platinum blond. The vest he wore inside his cloak was almost the exact same one. And his eyes - one a piercing blue, the other a stormy grey - were the exact ones that had stared into his own, and whispered those three sacred words-

"-and we will take our rightful place in the world."

Then, Gellert turned his head, just slightly, and they locked eyes. 

Gellert's expression did not change. And then a second later, he looked away. 

Albus let out a breath he had not realised he had been holding. He tightened his grip on his wand, and raised it up just a few inches. 

He would not be fooled by Gellert again. 

"I want you all to disapparate now, and spread the word: we do this, for the greater good." 

The familiar phrase sent his mind reeling. He had heard the rumours, of a dark wizard named Gellert Grindelwald gathering a following, and plotting crimes against muggles. But he had not expected Gellert to keep the phrase he had come up with all those years ago. 

_For the Greater Good._

The memories rushed into his head - writing that letter, Gellert climbing through his window just a few minutes later, listening to Gellert's whispered words of praise in the dark, creating plans to change the world they lived in, lying in bed and- 

He forced down his feelings of longing. No. He should be shameful of these memories. It had been a time of complete foolishness, a time that now could cost him, and the world as he knew it, everything.

The sound of the audience disapparating snapped him back to reality. In the centre of the stage, Gellert stood with his back towards him. 

"Albus." Gellert's voice echoed through the amphitheatre. 

Albus did not reply.

“We could still work together, you know,” Gellert said. “What happened that summer was regrettable. But the world still needs to be changed. With both of us, working together, we could ensure that the world is a safer, more open place for people like your sister.” 

The mention of his sister angered Albus. “You _killed_ Ariana, Gellert. Don’t act innocent.”

Gellert turned and faced Albus at last. His blue eye seemed to pierce straight into Albus’ soul. 

“You know who cast the spell that killed her, Albus. I know you do.”

In his mind, that fight was as clear as day. He could see the curses flying across the room and the black mass of Ariana’s obscurus flying between them, hear the shouting and cries of pain. And finally, he could see, the jet of green light, emerging from a wand that was neither his own, nor Gellert’s. 

Gellert was right. He knew who had done it. 

“It doesn’t matter who cast that curse. What matters is that I didn’t take care of her, and that’s why she’s dead,” Albus replied. He could hear how forced his own words sounded, and the thought of Gellert hearing it too made him want to cringe. 

“Do you remember our promise, Albus?” 

Gellert’s words caught him by surprise. Of course he did. How could he ever forget Gellert’s voice, whispering into his ear?

_“I promise, I will work towards creating that life we both want for all wizards, and for Ariana - a life of freedom, of truth, and of love. Everyone will have their place in the world we create.”_

They had created their blood pact - their way of ensuring they did not harm each other - just hours after, in an abandoned barn, slicing their palms with their wands and watching as the two droplets of dark red blood merged to form that beautiful pendent, which Gellert had taken with him when he fled from Godric’s Hollow.

And now, almost twenty years later, Gellert stood in front of him, his expression as determined, as passionate, as before. 

“Of course I remember,” Albus said carefully. “But you’ve broken that promise. You didn’t have a place for Ariana anywhere in that new world.”

Gellert did not reply. Instead, he walked up the staircase towards Albus, stopping when he was at eye level. 

Slowly, he brought a hand up to his chest, and pushed his coat aside to reveal-

_No. It couldn’t be._

On a silver chain, hanging as a badge over his former lover’s heart, was their pendant - the two droplets of blood still swirling in the amber crystal.

Albus stood in shock, watching Gellert stiffly. 

“Shall I show you, Albus, why exactly we made this pact, all those years ago?” Gellert reached out, offering his hand to Albus. 

Warily, Albus took his hand, and Gellert apparated them away. 

They emerged on a rooftop, overlooking the deserted streets of London’s outskirts. 

“Why have you brought me here, Gellert?” Albus asked. 

Gellert simply walked towards the edge of the roof. “ _Nebulus_.” 

The quiet incantation created a blanket of fog which settled over the city of London.

Gellert stood, his back to Albus, on the edge of the roof. While they had been in the amphitheater, the wind outside had picked up. The cool autumn wind whipped through Gellert’s blond hair, and his coat flapped around his legs. 

“Do you remember, that night, on the rooftops of Godric’s Hollow?” 

The question caught Albus off guard. Before he could stop himself, the memory rushed into his mind. 

_A hand tapped his shoulder gently._

_“Albus? What’s wrong?”_

_”It’s alright, Gellert,” he replied, looking up at the blond boy standing next to him. “It’s just my sister again. It’s been a bad day.”_

_There was silence for a second._

_Then, “Do you want to come with me? Let me show you somewhere I found.”_

_Albus reached up and took his friend’s hand._

_They appeared on a rooftop, overlooking the city square. The view from this high up was amazing - he could see the flicker of oil lamps from the windows of shops, and the muggles walking down the dimly-lit streets._

_”Do you like it?” Gellert asked._

_Albus looked at the boy next to him; let his eyes take in his blond curls fluttering in the summer breeze, his mismatched, piercing, yet kind eyes looking straight into his, his gentle, soft-looking lips forming the words._

_”This is amazing,” he breathed._

_They stood in silence for a minute, savouring the quiet of the night._

_”Albus.” Gellert finally broke the silence. “Ever since I met you... I’ve felt something for you that I’ve never felt with anyone else.”_

_Albus stayed quiet, listening. But his heart was racing - he had felt something different for Gellert too._

_”I love you, Albus.”_

_A beat._

_“I love you too, Gellert.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself._

_And suddenly Gellert was reaching up to his face, pulling him closer to him. His touch sent a shiver of pleasure down his spine, and for once, he did not try to hide it._

_Their lips met gently, and Albus moved to put his hands around Gellert’s body, letting them wander over his back and through his hair._

_The kiss was unlike anything Albus had ever experienced before. With Gellert’s soft lips against his, and his touch against his skin, it felt like he was flying - soaring above even the highest of clouds._

_When they finally pulled apart, a simple look from him told Gellert all he needed to know - he_ wanted _him as much as he did._

“Shall I show you, Albus? What our promise was?”

Albus stood still, staring at Gellert, trying to figure out where he was headed with this.

Gellert came up to him, until he was so close that he could feel Gellert’s warm breath on his face. 

And then Gellert closed the gap and slowly pressed his lips onto his, one hand cupping Albus’ cheek, and the other guiding his body towards him. 

The familiar touch, which he had not felt in years, almost made him cry out. But somehow, something in him made him desperately kiss Gellert back. His hands grabbed the front of Gellert’s shirt, pulling him closer and sending them staggering backwards. 

The kiss became more frantic, more passionate, as Gellert pressed him against the wall of the staircase emerging onto the roof. 

For the first time in years, Albus did not think of the war, of death, of his sister. All that mattered was the two of them, locked in the heat of the kiss, bodies pressed tightly against each other.

They finally broke away, gasping for air. The thrill of feeling Gellert’s touch again still coursed through his veins. 

Gellert’s hands moved downwards, and slowly undid his tie, and then practically flew down the buttons of his vest. Albus did not stop him as he started on the buttons of his shirt. 

Gellert’s fingers were trailing down his bare chest now. The contact, after so many years of being starved of touch, sent what felt like jolts of electricity through him, and he moaned, the pleasure taking over his body. 

“Albus...” Gellert murmured in his ear. “So you haven’t changed much, have you?” 

Albus let his hands move, almost automatically, up to Gellert’s collar, and start to undo the buttons of his shirt as well. 

He let his hands, pressed up in the small space between their bodies, run over Gellert’s bare skin, exploring the terrain that felt so familiar, yet so foreign. He felt Gellert shiver under his touch. 

With Gellert’s body pressed up against his, he could feel the hard bulge forming at the crotch of Gellert’s pants, and the thought of what lay under the fabric sent a shiver of excitement through him. 

Gellert’s hands moved down towards his waist, and started to unclasp the buckle on his pants. 

And suddenly, it occurred to him, how _wrong_ it was, pleasuring this man who had caused the death of his sister. 

Albus grabbed Gellert’s wrist and pushed him away. 

Gellert watched him, expressionless. 

With a flick of his wand, he set their clothes back in place. “I don’t want anything to do with you, or your plans, Grindelwald. You’re just a manipulative, apathetic monster.”

A pause. 

“Very well, then,” Grindelwald sighed. “I had hoped we would not have to be enemies. But I suppose I can’t have expected you to not have changed. After all, it’s been eighteen years.” 

Grindelwald’s expression was unreadable now. 

“Till we meet again, Albus.”

And with that, he apparated away, leaving Albus alone on the rooftops of London, staring at the spot where he had last seen Gellert Grindelwald. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave me some prompts, I’ll try go through all of them!


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